Holo Holo Blog

Here, at Holo Holo Charters, we strive every day to be the best at what we do. Day in and day out, year after year, we pride ourselves on being the #1 Best Boat Tour in the U.S. in one of the most magical places on Earth. We love what we do, and we couldn’t do it without you.

Did you also know that in addition to providing eco-conscious, top-notch boat tours along the stunning Nāpali Coast and Niʻihau, we are dedicated boat builders, busy in our very own boat building shop in Eleʻele, building Holo Holo’s next fleet of vessels?

We welcome you to join us, behind the scenes, for our third Boat Building Update with Sr. Project Manager Jason Martin. Jason brings us up to speed with exclusive, never-before-released updates and exciting project milestones.

Q. How is the boatbuilding process going?

The HOLO NUI build continues to move forward steadily. Our team has maintained a high level of quality and precision at every stage, addressing challenges as they arise. With major structural work nearing completion, we’re entering an exciting phase of the project that will bring several key milestones.

We plan to install the roof in March, marking the completion of the structural work. From there, we will proceed to the outfitting phase, which involves installing mechanical and electrical systems, plumbing, the bar, benches and tables, hatches, hardware, safety equipment, and other essential components that will complete the vessel.

We’re also excited to share that Holo Holo Charters was awarded a $70,000 FY25 Manufacturing Assistance Program (MAP) grant through the Hawaiʻi Technology Development Corporation (HTDC). This program awarded $1 million to (34) Hawaiʻi-based manufacturers, providing up to a 20% reimbursement (up to $100,000) for qualified expenses like manufacturing equipment, expansion studies, workforce training, and energy efficiency improvements.

Holo Holo Charters applied this funding toward partial reimbursement of our CNC-machined composite hull molds, a key qualifying expense. Programs like MAP are designed to help local manufacturers boost production, improve competitiveness, and create skilled jobs here in Hawaiʻi. We’re grateful to put this support toward advancing both our project and long-term capabilities.

Q. What are some highlights that have occurred since the last Boat Building Blog?

The HOLO NUI build has progressed through several major structural milestones since our last update:

• February 2025: the outboard hulls were completed with bulkheads installed in-mold.
• March 2025: initial structural installations were completed, and the inboard hulls were returned to the shop and landed onto the outboard hulls in a horizontal orientation.
• Mid April 2025: the hulls were fully formed, removed from the molds, and primed below the waterline.
• May 2025: the hulls were rotated upright and set into their cradles. With the hulls in cradles, we spread them and assembled the wet deck between the hulls. This phase involved joining three large components built on two separate molds: the wet-deck halves, built by Carbon Ocean Yachts (COY), and the wing round, built in-house.
• Early July 2025: the wet deck was fully assembled and elevated to its design height relative to the waterline.
• July 2025: the hulls were attached to the deck with support from COY, completing the primary platform assembly.

Following deck installation, we installed cross bulkheads to lock the structure together and provide torsional stiffness. Subsequent work included installing sole panels and side decks, constructing the foredeck and anchor box, installing the pilothouse structure, and painting the underwing.

Current efforts are focused on fitting out the steering and tank compartments, installing the coaming, completing the foredeck, installing the superstructure side panels, and painting the roof. Next, we will build out the heads in preparation for roof installation in March 2026.

Q. What can you tell us about your Boat Building Team?

We really have an exceptional team that takes pride in their work, supports each other, and delivers quality craftsmanship every day. This project has demanded precision, persistence, and a sustained commitment to quality. Our talented team of Boat Builders has risen to that challenge. It’s been rewarding to see each team member grow in skill, confidence, and collaboration, resulting in a group that operates at a very high level.

Since our last update, we’ve expanded the team to establish an in-house paint capability. This allows us to prime and paint components as the build progresses, helping reduce schedule pressure later in the project. It has also introduced new equipment to the shop and created opportunities for team members to develop additional skills.

We also added another Boat Builder to the project, bringing significant experience that will be a valuable asset to the team and the overall success of the build.

As you can see, Holo Holo’s commitment to you runs deep: from the consistency of our everyday tours right on down to the very vessels we build from the ground up, we strive to be the very best at what we do and have been doing since 1997. We can’t wait for you to join us on our beautiful new vessels. So, stay tuned and join us as we sail into unlimited potential and the most memorable water experiences possible!